U.S. patent number 10,208,671 [Application Number 14/945,939] was granted by the patent office on 2019-02-19 for turbine component including mixed cooling nub feature.
This patent grant is currently assigned to United Technologies Corporation. The grantee listed for this patent is United Technologies Corporation. Invention is credited to James Tisley Auxier, Christine F. McGinnis, Karl A. Mentz.
United States Patent |
10,208,671 |
McGinnis , et al. |
February 19, 2019 |
Turbine component including mixed cooling nub feature
Abstract
A component for a gas turbine engine includes at least one
cooled surface configured to contact a cooling flow, the at least
one cooled surface has a base surface and a plurality of cooling
nubs disposed about the base surface. The plurality of cooling nubs
are distributed about the base surface in a mixed pattern.
Inventors: |
McGinnis; Christine F. (New
Britain, CT), Mentz; Karl A. (Reading, MA), Auxier; James
Tisley (Bloomfield, CT) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
United Technologies Corporation |
Farmington |
MI |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
United Technologies Corporation
(Farmington, CT)
|
Family
ID: |
57348598 |
Appl.
No.: |
14/945,939 |
Filed: |
November 19, 2015 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20170145922 A1 |
May 25, 2017 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F02C
7/18 (20130101); F02C 7/12 (20130101); F01D
5/187 (20130101); F05D 2250/18 (20130101); Y02T
50/60 (20130101); F05D 2250/28 (20130101); F05D
2260/2214 (20130101); Y02T 50/676 (20130101); F05D
2240/81 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F02C
7/18 (20060101); F02C 7/12 (20060101); F01D
5/18 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2602439 |
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Jun 2013 |
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EP |
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2927430 |
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Oct 2015 |
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EP |
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2014151299 |
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Sep 2014 |
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WO |
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Other References
European Search Report for Application No. 16199681.4 dated Mar.
20, 2017. cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Sutherland; Steven
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Carlson, Gaskey & Olds,
P.C.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A component for a gas turbine engine comprising: at least one
cooled surface configured to contact a cooling flow, the at least
one cooled surface being recessed relative to one or more adjacent
surfaces; the at least one cooled surface having a base surface and
a plurality of cooling nubs disposed about the base surface, each
cooling nub in the plurality of cooling nubs being an extension of
the at least one cooled surface and protruding outward from the at
least one cooled surface; the plurality of cooling nubs are
distributed about said base surface in a mixed pattern, wherein the
mixed pattern includes a first set of cooling nubs and a second set
of cooling nubs, each cooling nub in the second set of cooling nubs
being larger than each cooling nub in the first set of cooling
nubs, and wherein the cooling nubs in the first set of cooling nubs
are positioned closer to an edge of the at least one cooled surface
than the cooling nubs in the second set of cooling nubs; and
wherein said mixed pattern is defined at least in part by each
cooling nub including a plurality of distances defined between the
cooling nub and each other cooling nub adjacent to the cooling nub,
and the plurality of distances is non-uniform.
2. The component of claim 1, wherein said mixed pattern further
includes at least two distinct cooling nub geometries.
3. The component of claim 2, wherein said at least two distinct
cooling nub geometries include at least one of: multiple distinct
cross sectional geometries and multiple distinct geometrical
configurations.
4. The component of claim 1, wherein each of said at least one
cooled surfaces is a single cast component, and each of said
cooling nubs is integral to said base surface.
5. The component of claim 4, wherein said cast component includes
post-cast finishing.
6. The component of claim 1, wherein the cooling nubs extend
outward from said at least one cooled surface into said cooling
flow.
7. A gas turbine engine comprising: a compressor section; a
combustor section fluidly connected to the compressor section; a
turbine section fluidly connected to the combustor section; at
least one convectively cooled component within said gas turbine
engine, the at least one convectively cooled component including at
least one cooled surface configured to contact a cooling flow, the
at least one cooled surface including a plurality of cooling nubs
arranged in a mixed pattern and being recessed relative to one or
more adjacent surfaces, each cooling nub in the plurality of
cooling nubs being an extension of the at least one cooled surface
and protruding outward from the at least one cooled surface and the
mixed pattern includes a first set of cooling nubs and a second set
of cooling nubs, each cooling nub in the second set of cooling nubs
being larger than each cooling nub in the first set of cooling
nubs, and wherein the cooling nubs in the first set of cooling nubs
are positioned closer to an edge of the at least one cooled surface
than the cooling nubs in the second set of cooling nubs; and
wherein said mixed pattern is defined at least in part by each
cooling nub including a plurality of distances defined between the
cooling nub and each other cooling nub adjacent to the cooling nub,
and the plurality of distances is non-uniform.
8. The gas turbine engine of claim 7, wherein said mixed pattern
further includes at least two distinct cooling nub geometries.
9. The gas turbine engine of claim 8, wherein said at least two
distinct cooling nub geometries include at least one of: multiple
distinct cross sectional geometries and multiple distinct
geometrical configurations.
10. The gas turbine engine of claim 7, wherein each of said at
least one cooled surfaces is a single cast component, and each of
said cooling nubs is integral to said at least one cooled surface.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates generally to cooling features for
gas turbine engine components, and more specifically to a mixed
cooling nub feature for the same.
BACKGROUND
Components within gas turbine engines, such as aircraft engines,
land based turbines, and the like, are frequently exposed to high
temperatures due to the operation of the gas turbine engine. In
order to mitigate the effects of the high temperatures, some
components are exposed to cooling flows and convective heat
transfer from the component to the cooling flow cools the
component.
The cooling flow continuously cycles a coolant, such as air, over
one or more surface of the component. The cycling of the coolant
removes the warmed coolant and replaces the warmed coolant with a
cooled coolant. In a closed loop coolant system, the warmed coolant
is passed to a cooler, alternately referred to as a condenser,
where it is cooled and returned to the coolant flow. In an open
loop cooling system, cooled coolant is drawn from a supply, passed
over the component and expelled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one exemplary embodiment a component for a gas turbine engine
includes at least one cooled surface configured to contact a
cooling flow, the at least one cooled surface having a base surface
and a plurality of cooling nubs disposed about the base surface,
and the plurality of cooling nubs are distributed about the base
surface in a mixed pattern.
In another exemplary embodiment of the above described component
for a gas turbine engine the mixed pattern includes a non-uniform
distance between each cooling nub and each adjacent cooling
nub.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the above described
components for a gas turbine engine the mixed pattern includes a
combination of at least two sizes of cooling nubs.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the above described
components for a gas turbine engine the mixed pattern further
includes a non-uniform distance between each cooling nub and each
adjacent cooling nub.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the above described
components for a gas turbine engine the mixed pattern further
includes at least two distinct cooling nub geometries.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the above described
components for a gas turbine engine the at least two distinct
cooling nub geometries include at least one of: multiple distinct
cross sectional geometries and multiple distinct geometrical
configurations.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the above described
components for a gas turbine engine each of the at least one cooled
surfaces is a single cast component, and each of the cooling nubs
is integral to the base surface.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the above described
components for a gas turbine engine the cast component includes
post-cast finishing.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the above described
components for a gas turbine engine a surface area of the base
surface and a surface area of each of the cooling nubs is a
convective cooling surface.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the above described
components for a gas turbine engine at least one of the cooled
surfaces is a recessed surface, and wherein the mixed pattern of
cooling nubs includes cooling nubs having a first size and cooling
nubs having a second size smaller than the first size.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the above described
components for a gas turbine engine cooling nubs within a
predetermined distance of an edge of the recessed surface are the
second size.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the above described
components for a gas turbine engine the cooling nubs extend outward
from the cooled surface into the cooling flow.
In one exemplary embodiment a gas turbine engine includes a
compressor section, a combustor section fluidly connected to the
compressor section, a turbine section fluidly connected to the
combustor section, and at least one convectively cooled component
within the gas turbine engine, the convectively cooled component
including at least one cooled surface configured to contact a
cooling flow, the at least one cooled surface including a plurality
of cooling nubs arranged in a mixed pattern.
In another exemplary embodiment of the above described gas turbine
engine the mixed pattern includes at least one of a non-uniform
distance between each cooling nub and each adjacent cooling nub and
a combination of at least two sizes of cooling nubs.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the above described gas
turbine engines the mixed pattern further includes at least two
distinct cooling nub geometries.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the above described gas
turbine engines the at least two distinct cooling nub geometries
include at least one of: multiple distinct cross sectional
geometries and multiple distinct geometrical configurations.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the above described gas
turbine engines each of the at least one cooled surfaces is a
single cast component, and each of the cooling nubs is integral to
the cooled surface.
In another exemplary embodiment of any of the above described gas
turbine engines the at least one cooled surface includes a surface
recessed into the convectively cooled component.
An exemplary method of enhancing cooling for a gas turbine engine
component includes disposing a plurality of cooling nubs on a
cooled surface according to a mixed pattern including at least one
of multiple distinct sizes of cooling nubs, a varied concentration
of cooling nubs, and a varied geometry of cooling nubs.
In another example of the above described exemplary method of
enhancing cooling for a gas turbine engine component disposing a
plurality of cooling nubs on the cooled surface includes casting
the cooled surface and the cooling nubs as a single integral
element.
These and other features of the present invention can be best
understood from the following specification and drawings, the
following of which is a brief description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an exemplary gas turbine
engine.
FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a partial view of a gas turbine
engine component.
FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a cross sectional view of a
portion of a gas turbine engine component.
FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a top view of a cooled surface of
a gas turbine engine component.
FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a top view of an alternate cooled
surface of a gas turbine engine component.
FIG. 6A schematically illustrates a cross sectional view of an
exemplary cooling nub geometry.
FIG. 6B schematically illustrates a cross sectional view of an
exemplary cooling nub geometry.
FIG. 6C schematically illustrates a cross sectional view of an
exemplary cooling nub geometry.
FIG. 7A schematically illustrates a top view of an exemplary
cooling nub geometry.
FIG. 7B schematically illustrates a top view of an exemplary
cooling nub geometry.
FIG. 7C schematically illustrates a top view of an exemplary
cooling nub geometry.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a gas turbine engine 20. The gas
turbine engine 20 is disclosed herein as a two-spool turbofan that
generally incorporates a fan section 22, a compressor section 24, a
combustor section 26 and a turbine section 28. Alternative engines
might include an augmentor section (not shown) among other systems
or features. The fan section 22 drives air along a bypass flow path
B in a bypass duct defined within a nacelle 15, while the
compressor section 24 drives air along a core flow path C for
compression and communication into the combustor section 26 then
expansion through the turbine section 28. Although depicted as a
two-spool turbofan gas turbine engine in the disclosed non-limiting
embodiment, it should be understood that the concepts described
herein are not limited to use with two-spool turbofans as the
teachings may be applied to other types of turbine engines
including three-spool architectures.
The exemplary engine 20 generally includes a low speed spool 30 and
a high speed spool 32 mounted for rotation about an engine central
longitudinal axis A relative to an engine static structure 36 via
several bearing systems 38. It should be understood that various
bearing systems 38 at various locations may alternatively or
additionally be provided, and the location of bearing systems 38
may be varied as appropriate to the application.
The low speed spool 30 generally includes an inner shaft 40 that
interconnects a fan 42, a first (or low) pressure compressor 44 and
a first (or low) pressure turbine 46. The inner shaft 40 is
connected to the fan 42 through a speed change mechanism, which in
exemplary gas turbine engine 20 is illustrated as a geared
architecture 48 to drive the fan 42 at a lower speed than the low
speed spool 30. The high speed spool 32 includes an outer shaft 50
that interconnects a second (or high) pressure compressor 52 and a
second (or high) pressure turbine 54. A combustor 56 is arranged in
exemplary gas turbine 20 between the high pressure compressor 52
and the high pressure turbine 54. A mid-turbine frame 57 of the
engine static structure 36 is arranged generally between the high
pressure turbine 54 and the low pressure turbine 46. The
mid-turbine frame 57 further supports bearing systems 38 in the
turbine section 28. The inner shaft 40 and the outer shaft 50 are
concentric and rotate via bearing systems 38 about the engine
central longitudinal axis A which is collinear with their
longitudinal axes.
The core airflow is compressed by the low pressure compressor 44
then the high pressure compressor 52, mixed and burned with fuel in
the combustor 56, then expanded over the high pressure turbine 54
and low pressure turbine 46. The mid-turbine frame 57 includes
airfoils 59 which are in the core airflow path C. The turbines 46,
54 rotationally drive the respective low speed spool 30 and high
speed spool 32 in response to the expansion. It will be appreciated
that each of the positions of the fan section 22, compressor
section 24, combustor section 26, turbine section 28, and fan drive
gear system 48 may be varied. For example, gear system 48 may be
located aft of combustor section 26 or even aft of turbine section
28, and fan section 22 may be positioned forward or aft of the
location of gear system 48.
Gas turbine engines, such as the exemplary gas turbine engine
described above and illustrated in FIG. 1, include sections that
are subjected to extreme heat during operation of the gas turbine
engine. In order to prevent components subjected to the extreme
heat from being damaged or from having a decreased component life,
the components are actively cooled using a cooling system built
into the gas turbine engine. In one example, some or all of a
component is cooled by passing a cooled fluid (referred to as a
coolant) over one or more surfaces of the component. The coolant
flow absorbs heat from the surface of the component that is exposed
to the coolant flow in a convective cooling manner. The coolant
flow can be generated using any known cooling system including open
loop cooling systems and closed loop cooling systems.
FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a partial view of a gas turbine
engine component 100 cooled using convective cooling. The component
100 includes a complex geometry having at least one cooled surface
110. In the illustrated example, the cooled surface 110 is recessed
relative to one or more adjacent surfaces. A cooling flow 102
passes across the component 100 and contacts the cooling surfaces
110. Heat is removed from the component 100 into the cooling flow
102 via conduction. The amount of heat that is removed can be
expressed as Q=hA(Tw-Tc), where h is the local heat transfer
coefficient of the cooled surface 110, A is the surface area of the
cooled surface 110, Tw is the temperature of the cooled surface
110, TC is the temperature of the coolant, and Q is the magnitude
of heat removed from the component 100 via the cooling flow
102.
One of skill in the art will appreciate that the magnitude of heat
removed from the component 100 is directly proportional to the
surface area (hA) of the cooled surface 110. In order to increase
the surface area of the cooled surface 110 that is exposed to the
cooling flow 102, the cooled surface 110 includes multiple cooling
nubs 122, 124 distributed across the surface 110. The cooling nubs
122, 124 are extensions of the cooled surface that protrude into
the cooling flow 102. As can be seen in the example of FIG. 2, the
cooling nubs 122, 124 can be distributed unevenly across the cooled
surface 110, and can be unevenly sized. In alternative examples,
the cooling nubs 122, 124 can further be different geometric
shapes, depending on the features needed at a given portion of the
surface 110. The lack of uniformity in size, shape and/or
positioning of the cooling nubs 122, 124 is referred to herein as a
"mixed pattern."
With continued reference to FIG. 2, and with like numerals
indicating like elements, FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a
partial cross sectional view of a cooled surface 210. A cooling
flow 202 passes across the cooled surface 210 and allows for
convective cooling, as described above. Each of the cooling nubs
222, 224 extends outward from the base portion of the surface 210
into the cooling flow 202. By extending the cooling nubs 222, 224
into the cooling flow 202, the surface area of the cooled surface
210 is increased by the surface area of the sides 230 of the
cooling nubs 222, 224. As can be seen in the illustration, the
larger the cooling nub 222, 224, the larger the additional surface
area created by the cooling nubs 222, 224. Further, as described
above, the larger the surface area of the cooled surface 210, the
larger the magnitude of heat transferred from the component 200
into the cooling flow 202.
In certain examples, and with certain components, the size of the
cooling nub 222, 234 is limited by the geometry of the component
200 or of adjacent parts within the gas turbine engine. In such
examples, some portions of the surface can utilize smaller nubs 222
while other portions utilize larger nubs 224. The smaller nubs 222
allow the nubs 222 to be positioned closer to an edge of the cooled
surface 210, and are shorter, causing less interference with
adjacent components within the gas turbine engine.
Further, in some examples the component including the cooled
surface 210 can include cast features, or be a single cast
component. In such examples, one or more of the cooled surfaces 210
is a cast feature, with the cooling nubs 222, 224 being cast
integral to the cooled surface 210. Due to the nature of the
cooling nubs 222, 224, the larger cooling nubs 224 are unable to be
properly cast adjacent to, or within a certain distance of, the
edges of the cooled surface 210 using some casting techniques. In
such examples, the utilization of mixed size cooling nubs 222, 224
allows for an increased number of cooling nubs 222, 224 by allowing
smaller nubs 222 to be positioned at the edge of the cooled surface
210, where larger nubs 224 are unable to be positioned.
In some examples, certain regions of the cooled surface 110, 210
can benefit from additional cooling relative to a remainder of the
cooled surface 110, 210. An additional cooling requirement in one
region is referred to as a localized cooling requirement. To
facilitate the localized cooling requirements of different regions
of the cooled surface 210, the cooling nubs 222, 224 are arranged,
in some examples, with a greater concentration of the cooling nubs
222, 224 in the region(s) requiring greater cooling.
With continued reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, and with like numerals
indicating like elements, FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a top
view of a cooled surface 310 of a gas turbine engine component.
Protruding from the cooled surface 310 are multiple cooling nubs
324. In the illustrated example of FIG. 4, each of the cooling nubs
324 is the same size and shape as each other of the cooling nubs
324. In alternative examples, different sized nubs, or different
geometry nubs can be intermixed with the cooling nubs 324 to
further enhance localized cooling.
The cooled surface 310 includes a first region 360 and a second
region 362 where increased cooling, relative to a remainder of the
cooled surface 310, is required. In the first region 360, a
distance 354 between the cooling nubs 324 and each adjacent cooling
nub 324 is decreased relative to the distance 352 between the
cooling nubs 324 outside of the regions 360 requiring increased
cooling. In the second region 362 requiring increased cooling, the
distance 356 between the cooling nubs 324 is reduced even further.
As a result of the illustrated mixed pattern nub configuration of
FIG. 4, both the first and second regions 360, 362 requiring
increased cooling are cooled more than the remainder of the cooled
surface 310, and the second region is further cooled more than the
first region 360.
In alternative examples, the cooled surface 310 can include
features that prevent ideal sized cooling nubs from being
positioned near or adjacent to an edge of the cooling surface. By
way of example, if the cooled surface 310 is indented into an edge
or surface of the component, such as is the case with a recessed
surface, cooling nubs near the edge of the cooled surface 310 can
undesirably merge with the edge during some casting processes.
With continued reference to FIGS. 2-4, FIG. 5 illustrates one such
example cooling surface 410. The cooling surface 410 includes acute
angled corners 412. Due to the acute angle of the corners and the
desired casting process, large cooling nubs 424 cannot be
positioned near the acute angle corners 412. In order to increase
the cooling at the acute angled corners 412, the mixed pattern of
cooling nubs 422, 424 includes smaller cooling nubs 422 capable of
being cast without interfering with the edge of the cooling surface
410. In some examples a distance 452 between each cooling nub 422,
424 and each cooling nub 422, 424 of similar size is uniform across
the cooling surface. In alternative examples, the distance 452 can
be varied to allow for localized increased cooling as described
above with regards to FIG. 4.
While illustrated above as hemispherical nubs in the examples of
FIGS. 2-5, the cooling nubs can be any cast shape. With continued
reference to FIGS. 2-5, FIG. 6 illustrates three potential cooling
nub cross sections 6A, 6B, 6C. The illustrated cross sections are
exemplary, and one of skill in the art will appreciate that any
cast shape can be suitable as a cooling nub shape. Nub 6A has a
rectangular cross section, nub 6B has a hemispherical cross
section, and nub 6C has a triangular cross section.
Each of the cross sections 6A, 6B, 6C has advantages and
disadvantages relative to the other cross sections 6A, 6B, 6C. By
way of example, the triangular cross section 6C has the lowest
increase in surface area, and thus the least increase in effective
cooling, however the triangular cross section also utilizes the
least amount of material and has the lowest weight of the
illustrated cross sections. In contrast, the rectangular cross
section has the largest increase in surface area but the largest
accompanying increase in material and weight.
In yet further examples, the cooling nubs can have different
geometric configurations designed to conform with, or otherwise
adapt to, the geometric configuration of the cooled surface. With
continued reference to FIGS. 2-6, FIG. 6 illustrates top views of
three exemplary geometric configurations 7A, 7B, 7C. 7A illustrates
the hemispherical configuration described and illustrated in FIGS.
2-5. 7B illustrates a curved configuration. 7C illustrates an
s-shaped configuration. The varied geometric configurations affect
the flow of coolant over the cooled surface in known manners, and a
specific configuration can be chosen to achieve desired flow
parameters.
In further examples, the geometric configuration can be altered to
better fit limited constraints of specific cooled surfaces and
component designs, and are not limited to the illustrated examples
of FIG. 7. Further, the cooling nubs on a given cooled surface can
be a mixture of multiple different geometric configurations and
cross section shapes depending on the needs of a specific
implementation.
While described individually above, one of skill in the art will
understand that the described mixed patterns of nubs can be used in
combination with any number of the other described mixed patterns
and still fall within the instant disclosure.
Further, while described above as cooling nubs protruding outward
form a surface, one of skill in the art having the benefit of this
disclosure will understand that the cooling nubs can, in examples
with a sufficiently angled cooling flow, be inverted and protrude
inward into the surface. In such an example, a single cooled
surface could utilize only inverted cooling nubs, or a mixture of
standard cooling nubs and inverted cooling nubs.
It is further understood that any of the above described concepts
can be used alone or in combination with any or all of the other
above described concepts. Although an embodiment of this invention
has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would
recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of
this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be
studied to determine the true scope and content of this
invention.
* * * * *